Hacker Techniques, Exploits & Incident Handling

Excellent material for security professionals wanting a deeper level of knowledge on how to implement security policies, procedures, and defensive mechanisms in an organization.

Brandon Smit, Dynetics

Great course for people starting into security essentials.

Alex Largie, Navajo Nation

If your organization has an Internet connection or one or two disgruntled employees (and whose doesn't!), your computer systems will get attacked. From the five, ten, or even one hundred daily probes against your Internet infrastructure to the malicious insider slowly creeping through your most vital information assets, attackers are targeting your systems with increasing viciousness and stealth.

By helping you understand attackers' tactics and strategies in detail, giving you hands-on experience in finding vulnerabilities and discovering intrusions, and equipping you with a comprehensive incident handling plan, the in-depth information in this course helps you turn the tables on computer attackers. This course addresses the latest cutting-edge insidious attack vectors, the "oldie-but-goodie" attacks that are still so prevalent, and everything in between. Instead of merely teaching a few hack attack tricks, this course includes a time-tested, step-by-step process for responding to computer incidents; a detailed description of how attackers undermine systems so you can prepare, detect, and respond to them; and a hands-on workshop for discovering holes before the bad guys do. Additionally, the course explores the legal issues associated with responding to computer attacks, including employee monitoring, working with law enforcement, and handling evidence.

This challenging course is particularly well-suited to individuals who lead or are a part of an incident handling team. Furthermore, general security practitioners, system administrators, and security architects will benefit by understanding how to design, build, and operate their systems to prevent, detect, and respond to attacks.

It is imperative that you get written permission from the proper authority in your organization before using these tools and techniques on your company's system and also that you advise your network and computer operations teams of your testing.

Course Syllabus

Overview

Securing an infrastructure is a complex task of balancing business needs against security risks. With the discovery of new vulnerabilities almost on a daily basis, there is always the potential for an intrusion. In addition to online intrusions, physical incidents like fires, floods and crime all require a solid methodology for incident handling to be in place, in order to get systems and services back online as quickly and securely as possible.

The first part of the course looks at the invaluable Incident Handling Step-by-Step model. Incident Handling Step-by-Step was created through a consensus process involving experienced incident handlers from corporations, government agencies, and educational institutes, and has been proven effective in hundreds of organizations. This section is designed to provide students a complete introduction to the incident handling process, using the six steps (preparation, identification, containment, eradication, recovery and lessons learned) one needs to follow to prepare for and deal with a computer incident.

The second part of this course examines from-the-trenches case studies to understand what does and does not work in identifying computer attackers. This section provides valuable information on the steps a systems administrator can take to improve the chances of catching and prosecuting attackers.

CPE/CMU Credits: 7

Topics

Preparation

Building a Jump Kit

Identifying the core team

Instrumentation of the site and system

Identification

Signs of an incident

First steps

Chain of Custody

Containment

Documentation strategies: video and audio

Containment and quarantine

Pull the network cable, switch and site

Identifying and isolating the trust model

Eradication

Evaluating whether a backup is compromised

Total rebuild of the Operating System

Moving to a new architecture

Recovery

Who makes the determination to return to production?

Monitoring to system

Expect an increase in attacks

Special actions for responding to different types of incidents

Espionage

Inappropriate use

Sexual harassment

Incident record keeping

Pre-built forms

Legal acceptability

Incident follow-up

Lessons learned meeting

Changes in process for the future

SEC504.2: Computer and Network Hacker Exploits - Part 1

Overview

Seemingly innocuous data leaking from your network could provide the clue needed by an attacker to blow your systems wide open. This day-long course covers the details associated with reconnaissance and scanning, the first two phases of many computer attacks.

Your networks reveal an enormous amount of information to potential attackers. In addition to looking for information leakage, attackers also conduct detailed scans of systems, scouring for openings to get through your defenses. They scope out targets of opportunity to break into your network, such as weak DMZ systems and firewalls, unsecured modems, or the increasingly popular wireless LAN attacks. Attackers are increasingly employing inverse scanning, blind scans, and bounce scans to obscure their source and intentions. They are also targeting firewalls, attempting to understand and manipulate rule sets to penetrate our networks. Another very hot area in computer attacks involves Intrusion Detection System evasion, techniques that allow an attacker to avoid detection by these computer burglar alarms.

If you don't have the skills needed to understand these critical phases of an attack in detail, you won't be able to protect your network. Students who take this class and master the material will understand these attacks and the associated defenses.

It is imperative that you get written permission from the proper authority in your organization before using these tools and techniques on your organizations systems, and also that you advise your network and computer operations teams of your testing schedule.

CPE/CMU Credits: 6

Topics

Reconnaissance

What does your network reveal?

Are you leaking too much information?

Using Whois lookups, ARIN, RIPE and APNIC

Domain Name System harvesting

Data gathering from fob postings, websites and government databases

Scanning

The art of war driving to locate unsecure wireless LANs

War dialing for renegade modems

Port Scanning: Traditional, stealth and blind scanning

Active and passive Operating System fingerprinting

Firewalking to determine firewall filtering rules

Vulnerability scanning using Nessus and other tools

CGI scanning with Whisker

Intrusion Detection System (IDS) evasion

Foiling IDS at the network level: Fragmentation and other tricks

Foiling IDS at the application level: Exploiting the rich syntax of computer languages

Using Fragroute, Fragrouter and Whisker IDS evasion tactics

Hands-on exercises with the following tools:

NetStumbler for Wireless LAN discovery

Nmap Port Scanner and Operating System fingerprinting tool

Nessus Vulnerability Scanner

Enum for extracting Windows data through null sessions

SEC504.3: Computer and Network Hacker Exploits - Part 2

Overview

Computer attackers are ripping our networks and systems apart in novel ways, while constantly improving their techniques. This day-long course covers the third step of many hacker attacks: gaining access.

Attackers employ a variety of strategies to take over systems, from the network level up to the application level. This section covers the attacks in depth, from the details of buffer overflow and format string attack techniques to the latest in session hijacking of supposedly secure protocols. Additionally, you'll get hands-on experience in running sniffers and the incredibly flexible Netcat tool.

Administrators need to get into the "meat" of how the attacks and their associated defenses work to really defend against these attacks. For each attack, the course explains the vulnerability, how various tools exploit it, the signature of the attack, and how to harden the system or application against the attack. Students who sign an ethics and release form are issued a CD-ROM containing the attack tools examined in class.

It is imperative that you get written permission from the proper authority in your organization before using these tools and techniques on your organizations system, and also that you advise your network and computer operations teams of your testing schedule.

SEC504.4: Computer and Network Hacker Exploits - Part 3

Overview

This course starts out by covering one of the attackers favorite techniques for compromising systems: worms. We'll analyze worm developments over the last two years, and project these trends into the future to get a feel for the coming Super Worms we'll face. Then, the course turns to another vital area often exploited by attackers: web applications. Because most organizations' homegrown web applications don't get the security scrutiny of commercial software, attackers exploit these targets using SQL injection, cross-site scripting, session cloning, and a variety of other mechanisms discussed in detail.

The course also presents a taxonomy of nasty denial of service attacks, illustrating how attackers can stop services or exhaust resources, as well as what you need to do to prevent their nefarious deeds.

Also, once intruders have gained access into a system, they want to keep that access, preventing pesky system administrators and security personnel from detecting their presence.

To fool you, attackers install backdoor tools and manipulate existing software on a system to maintain access to the machine on their own terms.

To defend against these attacks, you need to understand how attackers alter systems to discover the sometimes-subtle hints associated with system compromise. This course arms you with the understanding and tools you need to defend against attackers maintaining access and covering their tracks.

It is imperative that you get written permission from the proper authority in your organization before using these tools and techniques on your organizations system, and also that you advise your network and computer operations teams of your testing schedule.

CPE/CMU Credits: 6

Topics

Password cracking

Password cracking with John the Ripper

Analysis of worm trends From 1999 - 2005

Password cracking with L0phtCrack and John the Ripper

Web application attacks

Account harvesting

SQL Injection: Manipulating back-end databases

Session Cloning: Grabbing other users' web sessions

Cross-Site Scripting

Denial of service attacks

Distributed Denial of Service: Pulsing zombies and reflected attacks

Local Denial of Service

SYN Floods and Smurf attacks: DoS building blocks

Hands-on exercises with the following tools:

John the Ripper password cracker

Web application attack tools, including Achilles

SEC504.5: Computer and Network Hacker Exploits - Part 4

Overview

This day-long course covers the fourth and fifth steps of many hacker attacks: maintaining access and covering their tracks. Computer attackers install backdoors, apply Rootkits, and sometimes even manipulate the underlying kernel itself to hide their nefarious deeds. Each of these categories of tools requires specialized defenses to protect the underlying system. In this course, we'll analyze the most commonly used malicious code specimens, as well as explore future trends in malware, including BIOS-level and combo malware possibilities.

Attackers also cover their tracks by hiding files, sniffers, network usage, and active processes. Additionally, super stealthy sniffing backdoors are increasingly being used to thwart investigations. Finally, attackers often alter system logs, all in an attempt to make the compromised system appear normal. This course gives you the tools and techniques you need to detect and respond to these activities on your computers and network.

It is imperative that you get written permission from the proper authority in your organization before using these tools and techniques on your organizations system, and also that you advise your network and computer operations teams of your testing schedule.

CPE/CMU Credits: 6

Topics

Maintaining access

Backdoors: Using QAZ, Tini, and other popular beasts

Trojan horse backdoors: A nasty combo

Application-level Trojan horse backdoor suites (VNC, SubSeven, etc.)

Rootkits: Substituting binary executables with nasty variations

Kernel-level Rootkits: Attacking the heart of the Operating System (Adore, the Super User Control Kit, and KIS)

Covering the tracks

File and directory camouflage and hiding

Log file editing on Windows and Unix

Accounting entry editing: UTMP, WTMP, shell histories, etc.

Covert channels over HTTP, ICMP, TCP and other protocols

Sniffing backdoors and how they can really mess up your investigations unless you are aware of them

Steganography: Hiding data in images, music, binaries, or any other file type

Putting it all together

Specific scenarios showing how attackers use a variety of tools together

Analyzing scenarios based on real-world attacks

Learning from the mistakes of other organizations

Where to go for the latest attack info and trends

Hands-on exercises with the following tools:

Virtual Network Computing (VNC) and shovelling GUI

RootKits and detection

Detecting backdoors with Netstat, Lsof, and Fport

Hidden file detection with LADS

Covert Channels using Covert_TCP

SEC504.6: Hacker Tools Workshop

Overview

Over the years, the security industry has become smarter and more effective in stopping hackers; unfortunately, hacker tools are becoming smarter and more complex. One of the most effective methods in stopping the enemy is actually testing the environment with the same tools and tactics an attacker might use against you.

This workshop lets you put what you have learned over the past week into practice. You will be connected to one of the most hostile networks on planet Earth. This network simulates the Internet and allows students to try actual attacks against live machines and learn how to protect against these attacks. This workshop will supplement the classroom training that the student has already received and give them flight time with the attack tools to better understand how they work. Instructors will give guidance on exactly what is happening as exploits and defensive measures are running. As students work on various exploits and master them, the environment will become increasingly difficult so that students will have to master additional skills in order to successfully complete the exercises.

Additionally, students can participate in the workshop's Capture The Flag event. By penetrating systems, discovering subtle flaws, and using puzzle-solving techniques, you can test the skills you've built over the week in this engaging contest. The Capture The Flag victors will win a prize.

Paranoia is good!

Your laptop will be attacked. Do not have any sensitive data stored on the system. SANS is not responsible for your system if (actually, when) someone in the class attacks it in the workshop. Bring the right equipment and prepare it in advance to maximize what you'll learn and the fun you'll have doing it.

Additional Information

Laptop Required

IMPORTANT - BRING YOUR OWN LAPTOP WITH WINDOWS

To get the most value out of the course, students are required to bring their own laptop so that they can connect directly to the workshop network that we will create. It is the students' responsibility to make sure that the system is properly configured with all drivers necessary to connect to an Ethernet network.

Some of the course exercises are based on Windows, while others focus on Linux. VMware Player or VMware Workstation is required for the class. If you plan to use a Macintosh, please make sure you bring VMware Fusion, along with a Windows guest virtual machine.

Windows

You are required to bring Windows 7 (Professional or Ultimate), Windows Vista (Business or Ultimate), Windows XP Pro, or Windows 2003 or 2008 Server, either a real system or a virtual machine. Windows 7 Home, Windows Vista Home, Windows XP Home, and Windows 2000 (all versions) will NOT work for the class as they do not include all of the built-in capabilities we need for comprehensive analysis of the system.

The course includes a VMware image file of a guest Linux system that is larger than 2 GB. Therefore, you need a file system with the ability to read and write files that are larger than 2 GB, such as NTFS on a Windows machine.

IMPORTANT NOTE: You will also be required to disable your anti-virus tools temporarily for some exercises, so make sure you have the anti-virus administrator permissions to do so. DO NOT plan on just killing your anti-virus service or processes because most anti-virus tools still function even when their associated services and processes have been terminated. For many enterprise-managed clients, disabling your anti-virus tool may require a different password than the Administrator account password. Please bring that administrator password for your anti-virus tool.

Enterprise VPN clients may interfere with the network configuration required to participate in the class. If your system has an enterprise VPN client installed, you may need to uninstall it for the exercises in class.

Alternatively, if you want a more flexible and configurable tool, you can download a free 30-day trial copy of VMware Workstation here. VMware will send you a time-limited license number for VMware Workstation if you register for the trial at their Web site. No license number is required for VMware Player.

We will give you a DVD full of attack tools to experiment with during the class and take home for later analysis. We will also provide a Linux image with all of our tools pre-installed that runs within VMware Player or VMware Workstation.

Linux

You do not need to bring a Linux system if you plan to use our Linux image in VMware. However, you are required to bring VMware Workstation or VMware Player. The class does not support VirtualPC or other non-VMware virtualization products.

Mandatory Laptop Hardware Requirements

x86- or x64-compatible 1.5 GHz CPU Minimum or higher

DVD Drive (not a CD drive)

2 GigaByte RAM minimum with 4 GB or higher recommended

Ethernet adapter (A wired connection is required in class. If your laptop supports only wireless, please make sure to bring an Ethernet adapter with you)

5 GigaByte available hard drive space

Any Service Pack level is acceptable for Windows XP Pro, 2003, Vista, or Win7

During the workshop, you will be connecting to one of the most hostile networks on planet Earth! Your laptop might be attacked. Do not have any sensitive data stored on the system. SANS is not responsible for your system if someone in the class attacks it in the workshop.

By bringing the right equipment and preparing in advance, you can maximize what you'll see and learn as well as have a lot of fun.

If you have additional questions about the laptop specifications, please contact laptop_prep@sans.org.

Who Should Attend

Incident handlers

Leaders of incident handling teams

System administrators who are on the front lines defending their systems and responding to attacks

Other security personnel who are first responders when systems come under attack

Author Statement

My favorite part of teaching Hacker Techniques, Exploits, and Incident Handling is watching students when they finally get it. It's usually a two-stage process. First, students begin to realize how truly malicious some of these attacks are. Some students have a very visceral reaction, occasionally shouting out "Oh, shoot!" when they see what the bad guys are really up to. But if I stopped the process at that point, I'd be doing a disservice. The second stage is even more fun. Later in the class, students gradually realize that, even though the attacks are really nasty, they can prevent, detect, and respond to them. Using the knowledge they gain in this track, they know they'll be ready when a bad guy launches an attack against their systems. And being ready to thwart the bad guys is what it's all about.